Shaun McWilliams snatched all three points for his hometown club as Northampton claimed a dramatic 3-2 win over fellow promotion hopefuls Stevenage at the Lamex Stadium.
Louis Appere stepped up to convert an early penalty to give Northampton the lead but Stevenage levelled before half-time through Danny Rose.
In a pulsating final 10 minutes, Kieron Bowie's thunderbolt made it 2-1 to the visitors before Alex Gilbey appeared to have snatched a point for Stevenage when he equalised four minutes later.
However, McWilliams had the final say with an 87th-minute winner as the Cobblers, who lost Danny Hylton to a late red card, moved to within two points of Stevenage, who have fallen behind Leyton Orient at the top of League Two.
Appere put Northampton 1-0 up from the spot after he surged into the box inside the opening 30 seconds and Terence Vancooten scythed him down inside the area.
Stevenage had not managed a shot until former Cobbler Rose poked the ball beyond Lee Burge in the 35th minute to make it 1-1.
The late drama began in the 81st minute when Bowie unleashed an unstoppable rocket past Taye Ashby-Hammond before Gilbey pounced to slam home from a corner in the 86th minute.
But a minute later McWilliams swept in at the back post before Hylton was dismissed for raising his hand to Dan Sweeney.